Come On Touch Me, Show Me You're Imperfect Too
by baiser.moi
Summary: He’s seen plenty of naked girls before. She wasn’t exactly gorgeous. But the sight of those scars and bruises all over her petite little body haunted his memories. He wanted answers. SiriusBlackxOFCxRabastanLestrange.
1. Chapter 1

Copyright disclaimer: Any character you recognize obviously doesn't belong to me. Title is property of an Automatic Loveletter song.

* * *

Sirius Black closed his eyes and tried to suppress the rage coursing through his veins. He was confused and itching to fight someone. It was a little after two in the morning, his friends were all snoring peacefully. He had just snuck back into his dorm but the night's escapade refused to vanish from his brain, flashing vividly before his closed eyes.

Roughly half an hour ago, by complete accident, he was forced to deter on his way back into the dormitories; to hide in one of the dungeons after sneaking out of the Common Room for a late night snack. A teacher was patrolling relentlessly outside the Gryffindor Tower and he, exhausted after Quiddich practice and a mediocre day of lessons, found his feet leading him to a dungeon where he hoped to rest his eyes and feet before sneaking back into his dormitory. Instead of a quiet resting spot, he came across a sobbing Ravenclaw, almost naked, numerous unhealed scars and bruises all over her petite little body. She had stared up at him with terrified, bloodshot eyes, angry red handprints imprinted on her fragile neck. He noticed she had the palest and coldest blue eyes he'd ever seen. When he attempted to ask her what had happened, she hastily snatched up her robes and fled. He had stood rooted to the spot, stunned. If not for the custard cream tarts stuffed under his robe, he would've thought he'd been dreaming.

As Sirius tossed and turned, he tried desperately to put a name to the face he'd just seen. He was quite sure he'd seen the girl around the Castle a few times, never paid much attention to her. She wasn't pretty or ugly, just plain. She blended into the busy hustle and bustle of the students bursting through the corridors. He was in her Charms and Transfiguration class and deduced that she was a quiet, shy and obviously, smart student as she was in Ravenclaw.

No name came to mind.

Frustrated, he pounded his pillow, adrenaline violently building up in his system with no vent to release it.

Tomorrow, he decided. He would seek answers.

He didn't know why he was so obsessed over an almost naked, abused little Ravenclaw. His mind just wouldn't let him forget her. And so began Sirius Black's obsession with a nameless little damaged Ravenclaw.

He was moody. And that was the understatement of the year. He had gotten no less than four hours of sleep when Peter's alarm had shrilly started him out of his much needed slumber. He then tumbled out of bed and showered, half-asleep. As he stomped towards the Great Hall, yawning, he glanced around the tables and froze, recognition shocking his brain into alert mode.

She sat, in a corner, dwarfed by two chipper girls, staring at her plate of untouched toast. There were no visible signs of discolouration on her neck or face and her eyes were distant, slumped forwards as if trying to vanish into thin air.

"OI, PADFOOT!" A loud voice interrupted his staring," What's our first class?"

"Ask Moony," He snarled uncharacteristically, causing his friends and fellow Gryffindors to turn around and stare at an unusually, unhappy Sirius Black.

"Sorry," He muttered carelessly, seating himself down into a seat.

"Rough night?" James asked him, promptly stuffing large fork loads of buttered pancakes into his mouth.

"Something like that," Sirius muttered, frequently glancing at the Ravenclaw table.

"Man, who's the lucky girl?" James pestered. He had never seen his best friend so… quiet. And just what was he looking at. More precisely, _who?_

James Potter looked over to the Ravenclaw table, scanning the students, trying to figure out which girl had caught Sirius's eye this time. He frowned. All the beautiful ones haven't arrived yet. They were more than likely still pampering themselves for the day in the bathrooms. James looked at the direction of Sirius's gaze and found himself staring at a gloomy looking girl, nothing spectacular, and a pair of blondes that had too much energy and enthusiasm on a Monday morning. He shrugged. The Reynold twins weren't that bad looking. Sirius did have a weakness for blondes after all, and James decided that Sirius must have finally grown up, if only a little, and has decided to go after girls with substance, brains _and_ looks. Satisfied, he started piling bacon and eggs onto his plate, eyes hooked to the Entrance for any signs red hair.

Across the table, Moony frowned. Sirius was not himself this morning. Before he could open his mouth, Sirius bolted up from his seat and ran over to the Ravenclaw table, where he found his friend snarling at Slytherin Beater Rabastan Lestrange.

Sirius didn't know what had taken over him. One minute, he was buttering his crumpet, the next, he saw a tall, dark haired boy saunter over to the nameless girl he saw the night before, watched her face pale and her body tremble as he spoke to her. Before his mind could register what was going on, he was across the room, one hand on his wand inside his robes, struggling not to instinctively curse the boy in front of him into microscopic little bits while harsh threats erupted from his mouth.

The boy in front of him coolly looked at him, shot a smirk to the cowering Ravenclaw, stated calmly," See you around Campbell," and sauntered off, leaving everyone in the Great Hall staring at an enraged Sirius Black, two astonished looking twins, and a petrified Ravenclaw girl he didn't know the name of

Sirius was feeling downright homicidal. Before he could speak, however, the bell rang. Abbey and Cat Reynold sized their stunned friend by the armpits and dragged her out of the hall, wondering what the hell just happened.

-

Mina Campbell numbly followed her friends out of the Hall, outside towards Greenhouse Seven, emotions overwhelming her capacity to feel.

Back in the Great Hall, Sirius Black was accosted by astonished and highly curious friends.

How ironic, Sirius thought to himself. Just my luck. After grilling Moony non-stop and picking Prongs's brains, he had learned that her name was Mina Campbell; a sixth year Ravenclaw, pureblood parents absent her entire life, adopted by a widowed, eccentric and wealthy Squib at the age of two. Trivial titbits of information, like the fact that Mina was allergic to blueberries, deathly afraid of dogs, clowns and heights and intensely fond of cats, vanilla fudge and Potions class heightened his thirst for knowledge about the silent modest Ravenclaw.

Through the grapevine, Sirius had also discovered that Rabastan Lestrange had been pursuing Mina for unknown reasons, since the end of her fourth year. Though he did not know the accuracy of this information, Sirius suspected that Lestrange was the one behind the mystery of Mina's injuries. It didn't take a genius to figure out the link between Lestrange's smug face he wanted to punch the lights out of and Mina's bloodless one earlier on that morning. However, he was puzzled. If Lestrange was harassing Mina, why hasn't her friends intervened or reported him? It didn't make sense. However, he knew that his cousin Bellatrix and her boyfriend, Rodolphus Lestrange, twin brother of Rabastan Lestrange, were rumoured to be involved with a Dark Lord who calls himself Voldemort. Voldemort was obsessed with riding the magical community of 'mudbloods' or muggle-borns capable of magic. Perhaps Rabastan Lestrange was under orders to claim Mina as a pureblood bride? Sirius's fists clenched at the thought. Still, something didn't add up. Convinced that he wasn't seeing the full picture, Sirius reached for his Transfiguration essay, frantically seeking a distraction from his racing thoughts.

"Merlin's balls! Padfoot's doing homework!" James Potter's voice echoed throughout the Common Room," What in the name of Snivellus's pants happened to you mate?"

"I'll see you later," Sirius growled to his dumbfounded friends, storming out of the Common Room in search of a mousy Ravenclaw with ice blue eyes.

-

Mina Campbell scanned the library shelves, heaving heavy books from their places, telling herself she needed to work on her upper body strength. She was in the remote part of the library where no one goes, browsing books about nonsense, such as 101 Things to Eat with Sugared Quills. This was her haven. Rabastan never came here. He wouldn't risk damaging his pride or reputation by being seen in the library, especially in this section. This was the only place in the entire Castle she felt relatively safe, however temporary.

Someone cleared their throat, causing Mina to jump from fright. Out of pure reflex and experience, she closed her eyes and raised her twig-like arms to defend herself, waiting for the inevitable blow. It didn't come.

After plucking up courage to lower her guard, she glanced cautiously up at a very handsome but grim looking Sirius Black.

"We need to talk."

Mina blinked.

She couldn't think of one single reason Sirius Black needed to talk to her.

He wasn't failing any classes.

He had a girlfriend, at least, from what she had last heard.

She didn't have any drop-dead gorgeous friends he needed the 411 on.

What was he doing here? And how did he find her?

"BLACK!" A loud screech interrupted her pattern thought," YOU ARE BANNED FROM THE LIBRARY! HOW DARE YOU COME BACK HERE…"

Grabbing the mute Ravenclaw's hand, Sirius Black sprinted out of the library, alarmed at how cold and bony Mina's wrist felt in his grip.

"In here!"

Mina found herself shoved into a broom closed and hysteria gripped her.

"Shh, shh, I won't hurt you! Lumos!"

She cursed herself for doing what she always did when she was scared out of her mind. She froze, paralyzed to the ground, staring at the self-proclaimed Sex God of Hogwarts with pleading eyes screaming.

"Please don't hurt me."

Sirius couldn't help it. He rolled his eyes. He'd never imagined himself as a hero rescuing a damsel in distress. Merlin, he wasn't even attracted to the girl! Just intrigued… He preferred to be the knight in black armour ravaging princesses. But there he was, in a broom cupboard with a girl he had never talked to prior five minutes ago.

Mina could've kicked herself for her stupidity. Hasn't she said those exact words, time and time again, to Rabastan, only to be laughed at, completely ignored and beaten up? Shouldn't she have learned by now that words hold no true power? Shouldn't she have realized by now that unless she mastered wandless magic, words weren't going to do a damn thing to protect her from someone else?

"What were you doing in the dungeons last night?" Sirius blurted out.

Mina blinked.

A terse silence descended, as Mina fidgeted nervously and Sirius cursed himself, trying to find more elegant words to phrase what he wanted to know.

"Where did you get the bruises? Who hurt you?" Despite the voice inside his head screaming at his own idiocy, Sirius continued hurling questions at a passive Mina, who did nothing but blink at him with fear evident in her big blue eyes.

Say something, Mina thought desperately, anything to break the silence…

Her stomach rumbled.

Loudly.

She blushed.

"When was the last time you've eaten?" Sirius demanded.

Mina blinked.

Again.

"Come on, we're going to dinner…" He said, kicking the door open, only to find himself staring at a large group of Hufflepuff fourth years, startled and gazing at him, and his company, with flabbergasted eyes.

"Shit!"

He swallowed, head pounding. He just hoped that whatever the rumours that travel around tomorrow won't be too bad…

Behind, Mina stiffened.

Her was life now truly over.

* * *

Your thoughts? Feel free to point out my spelling or grammar mistakes. Please do note that I'm not American, therefore, I use British spelling so don't hassle me for spelling colour with a 'u'.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks a million to **Arinus** and **Liasid** for my first two reviews, I never thought I'd actually get a review on my first story so quickly!

Copyright disclaimer: Dude, my name doesn't even start with a J. And last time I checked, I didn't write the song August 28th 3.30 AM.

* * *

'Rabastan is going to kill me if he sees me with Sirius,' Mina thought, hysteria momentarily paralyzing her rational thoughts

Dread weighed down each step she took towards the Great Hall and slowly, reality sunk in. Trying to tug her hand out of Sirius's hands, nausea started assaulting her senses as they neared the entrance towards the Hall.

"Let go!" She hissed, causing Sirius to give her an annoyed glance as one would give a toddler insisting on having a cookie before bedtime.

"Please, let _go_!" Mina tried to dig her feet into the ground, but only ended up sliding along the floor, looking comically like she was trying to ski. She didn't dare raise her voice at Sirius in fear that she'll draw not only more attention towards herself and her current predicament but especially, anyone from the Slytherin House.

"Come on," Mina heard Sirius adopt, what he probably thought, was a consoling voice, "You can sit with me and my friends at the Gryffindor table!"

'Merlin! NO!' Words failed Mina as her eyes widened in horror at the thought of enduring that kind of attention.

Sirius frowned, wondering why Mina was staring at him like he just killed her kitten. Girls usually thanked their lucky stars when he invited them over to eat dinner with the Marauders. This was one weird bird.

"Don't worry," Sirius continued, clueless to Mina's thoughts, "My friends are perfectly nice people and I'm sure no one would hassle you for sitting with me for dinner. If it makes you feel any better, you can invite your friends too, those blonde twins, how does that sound?"

Flashing his trademark smile that caused many of her gender to simply swoon, Mina stared in horror as they crossed into the Great Hall, where immediately, everyone and anyone who happened to glance in her direction dropped their utensils and either a) pinched themselves or b) stared and then pinched the person next to them. Many "Ows!" and "What the hell was that for?" could be heard ringing around the room as Mina tried in vain to free her hand from Sirius's.

Too scared to glance in the direction of where the Slytherins sat, Mina tried to shrink into Sirius's side, praying that they reached the Gryffindor table soon. She was quite tiny, even she'd admit, so it wouldn't be too much of a problem hiding behind some burly seventh year student. Unable to spot any sign of her friends, Mina allowed herself to be dragged reluctantly to the Gryffindor table, trying to reassure herself that no one in their right mind would attack her in front of all the teachers and students.

-

Rabastan Lestrange roared as his twin brother elbowed him suddenly, causing him to spray pumpkin juice all over himself. Murderous, he turned around only to be told coldly by his brother to look at the table where mudbloods and blood traitors sat.

"What?" He sneered at his brother, only to be given a sardonic, pitying look.

"Since when did you let filth touch your sex toy?"

Rabastan's head jerked back to the Gryffindor table, then surveyed the Ravenclaws slowly.

"Where the fuck," He paused, trying to suppress his rage," is Campbell?"

Across the table, he heard Bellatrix Black cackle madly.

"Poor Rabby," She crooned, as Rabastan shot her a venomous look. Completely oblivious to the daggers in his eyes, Bellatrix continued laughing until she found a wand pointing threatening in her face. She raised a calm eyebrow.

"You wouldn't," She taunted.

Eyes narrowing angrily, Rabastan opened his mouth to curse her when his brother punched him in the arm and mouthed some ugly words about nothing touching his precious girlfriend.

'Today is _not_ my day," the dejected Lestrange brother thought, 'Oh well, at least I can use Campbell as a stress ball later on.'

Meanwhile Bellatrix was smirking at her boyfriend, coyly asking through her gleaming eyes, 'Should we tell him?'

Rodolphus glanced at his brother and sighed. Why was he constantly being forced to choose between his brother and the cunning, black-hearted Bellatrix Black?

"We saw Mina arrive earlier with Bella's _darling_ cousin," He finally relented, and watched his brother choke on a new goblet of pumpkin juice.

"He's dead," Rabastan snarled, as fire lit up behind his dark blue eyes. As he stood to move up, his brother grabbed his arm and looked at him like he was a stupid House Elf.

"Not now, and not here, oh smart one. Not when there's a few thousand witnesses including teachers around at least."

"She's going to pay," He thought determinedly, a dozen twisted spells for torture dancing through his mind, "But first, we have a Slytherin vs. Gryffindor match next Tuesday…"

A sinister smile illuminated his aristocratic features.

This was going to be fun…

-

"You're not eating anything!" Mina sighed, wishing they would just leave her alone.

Although she was indeed hungry, sitting at the Gryffindor table next to Sirius Black and his friends was a suicide mission and she didn't know how long she was going to last. Despite her hunger pains, she couldn't even bear to put anything in her mouth, nerves grating higher than an opera singer's voice

"I'm on a diet," the asinine words flew out of her mouth before she could even think.

Six pairs of eyes looked at her, with a mixture of astonishment and disbelief.

"You don't need to diet, in fact, if you use a good ten or twenty pounds more," Remus Lupin told her austerely.

"I…" She started to defend herself, only squeak like a mouse being stood on, as a smiling Bellatrix Black heading towards her.

"Oh Merlin," She whimpered, "No, no, no…"

Oblivious to her distress, and thinking that she was shaking her head at Remus's comments about her weight, Sirius stabbed his fork through a piece of satay chicken kebab, bringing it towards Mina's mouth.

"Come on baby, trust me, open up, this is good…"

"Aww, look, how cute," A saccharine voice cooed, causing Sirius to miss Mina's mouth and jab her chin with his fork.

"What do you want Trixie?" Sirius asked calmly, displeasure colouring his deep voice.

Bellatrix sneered at the nickname, before ignoring her cousin and focusing on the ashen faced Ravenclaw, " You better watch your back, slut."

"Sirius, no!" Remus was trying to restrain Sirius, who had his wand out and was trying to aim.

"He knows…" Mina whispered to herself, before a small lick of anger ignited in her veins.

"This is all _your_ fault!" She intoned angrily to a very surprised Sirius, "If you had just left me alone and ignored me for another two years, then my life would've been perfect! Now thanks to you, I have an invisible Curse Me label hanging over my head! Why did you make me sit with you for dinner! Why couldn't you have just stayed away from me in the library."

Sirius gaped. Openly.

The little kitten had claws. And to his immense irritation, she only unsheathed them towards him. He'd seen her freeze and tremble around Bellatrix. Why didn't she stand her ground a few minutes ago? He was just trying to help her! Merlin, this girl was trouble. And he was starting to think he was a masochist.

"Now look here," Sirius heard his best friend jump to his defense, "Sirius was only looking out for you –"

"Looking _out_ for me? We've never even _spoken_ before today! I doubt he even knew my _name_ before today. If he had just stayed in his damn dormintory instead of going out wandering last night –"

"Hey!" Sirius interjected angrily," You were wandering around the castle too! What gives you the right to tell _me_ what to do when you were breaking the same rules as I? You're a bloody hypocrite!"

"Shut up! And stay away from me!" Mina pushed herself off the chair and rose, running out of the Great Hall, half stunned that she had yelled at someone, her, mousy, little Mina with only two friends, who never dared raise her hand in class, who murmured when addressed to by teachers, she had yelled at someone, _the_ Sirius Black no less.

"This is great, first I piss off Rabastan, then I yell at Sirius Black, just who did I piss off in my past life?" She groaned as she sped towards the Ravenclaw Tower, stomach rumbling as she panted.

"What is hidden among friendly faces?" The disembodied voice Rowena Ravenclaw asked as Mina stood, out of breath at the entrance towards her dormitory.

"Danger," She whispered, scurrying through the portrait door.

* * *

I know, I know, that password thing was lame and I couldn't remember whose voice actually asked the question, I _think_ it was Rownea Ravenclaw's. Please review?


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you **iluvsnuffles **for reviewing, you really made my day!

I dedicate this chapter to **Arinus **for reviewing, once again. I love you! xD

I didn't know that fanfiction automatically disables anonymous reviews so I've enabled that option. I'd love to hear your input.

Copyright disclaimer: Cat, Abbey, Mina and the plot are mine. ALL MINE. Everything else, surprise surprise, isn't.

* * *

"Mimi," Abbey tried, as Mina sobbed harder onto her shoulder. She didn't know what to say. Glancing at her sister, she saw that Cat was equally speechless. What do you say to comfort your friend when there's a knife sticking out of her beloved cat's stomach and a ribbon tied around the handle? Certainly not, "Are you okay?" or "It's going to be alright."

"H-he was-s o-on-only t-t-tw-two-o ye-ears old-d!" Mina wailed. Mina Campbell was not a pretty crier. In fact, she wasn't even pretty. She wasn't ugly, just… plain. But when her eyes were swollen and bloodshot, her cheeks and neck flushed tomato red, and her nose running a thousand miles an hour… well, let's just say, it wasn't a pretty sight.

"Why don't we find Professor Flitwick," Abbey started to reason only to watch Mina gasp for breath, shaking her head violently.

"No!"

"Mimi," Abbey tried to rationalize once again, "Why don't we go see the Head? Flitwick will find out who did this to Pippi with a simple –"

"No!"

Finally, after a few more minutes of sniffles, an impatient Abbey flicked her wand at Mina's dead cat and uttered, "Ante mortem!"

Mina's sobs instantly ceased as all three girls watched, mesmerized as Pippi's corpse levitated a good ten inches off Mina's bed, glowing a faint purple. The girls watched as Pippi's wounds resealed and time reversed in the room, and watched in horror as a hooded figure enter and torture Pippi, leaving her for dead.

"Who would do such a thing?" Abbey demanded shakily.

"How did they get inside the tower and up here?" Cat questioned fearfully.

"What spell was _that_?" Mina asked quietly. Tears were burning behind her eyelids at the injustice. Her adoptive mother was severely allergic to fur and went through a lot of trouble locating Pippi, an unexpected end product of numerous hiccup potion testing cures, that didn't trigger an epileptic seizure in Mrs. Campbell.

Abbey shrugged, secretly pleased that the smell had worked. She muttered something about a book about Death she got for Christmas last year, insisting there were some cool spells and charms in the book for amateurs to practice.

Cat sighed. It was true her sister was preoccupied and obsessed with Death, which explains why people stay well away from her. If only Abbey was interested in other things that was, well, more _normal_ and socially acceptable, she doubt that Mina Campbell would be Cat's only friend, excluding her.

Of the two, Cat was more outgoing and popular. She had many other friends excluding the present company and she was a little wild at heart. Bored easily and eager to experience new situations, lately, Cat had been drifting away from spending time with her sister and Mina, instead, found herself in the company of more beautiful and popular girls like –

"What do we do now?" No soon had the words escaped from Abbey's mouth when…

"Ebublio!" Mina pointed her wand at the stiffening body of her dead cat. Multicoloured streams of bubbles floated around the room as Pippi's body vanished.

"Why did you do that?" Cat questioned a sulking Mina.

She just shook her head and walked into the bathroom. Some people dealt with stress by eating, others meditation. She liked showers.

"Um…" Abbey looked at Cat uncertainly, "Think she'll be okay?"

"Dunno, we'll have to wait and see. Let's go do something more productive." Cat picked up their homework and looped her arm through her sister's. Abbey cast one last worried look at the bathroom door before being pulled out by her sister out the door.

Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Mina let the hot water glide down her body, breathing deeply. She _knew_ Rabastan had killed her cat. She just knew it! She _knew_ that _he_ knew she had dinner with Sirius.

'I'm sorry Pippi,' She thought hollowly, 'At least he can't hurt you anymore.' Then collapsing in the shower, she cried, cursing herself for being stupid enough not to have taken the time to recast a protective charm on Pippi after the previous one wore off last week.

She lost track of time as she sat there, letting the hot water run over her weary and teary body.

Finally, a series of loud bangs on the door jolted her back to reality and hesitantly, she got out of the shower, preformed a Drying Spell on her hair and body, got dressed and opened the door.

"How did you – _why_ are you here?" She asked stupidly as she found herself staring at an attractive Gryffindor Beater right in front of her.

-

"Honestly, who in their right minds would name girl like her _Gertrude_?" Cat complained to Abbey, sneaking looks at the new transfer student.

"Well, it's about time someone knocked Narcissa Black off the throne for being the blonde bitch, I mean, uh… bombshell."

Abbey wasn't bothered. She couldn't care less about who looks good or what's in style as long as she got a DIY muggle lab kit that her Muggle Studies Professor insisted that muggles used to dissect amphibians. It was weird, she thought uncomfortably, since when did Cat gossip?

"Shouldn't we go check on Mimi? You know, to make sure Sirius hasn't raped her or anything?"

Cat rolled her eyes.

"A man like Sirius Black wouldn't need to resort to using force to get laid."

Abbey frowned. The uncomfortable feeling intensified.

"What's wrong with you?"

"What?" Cat exclaimed defensively as she examined her freshly painted nail, "What did I say?"

"You just implied Mina wasn't good enough for Black!"

"Black? Since when did you call him Black? And no offense, but Mina isn't that pretty…"

"What's gotten into you Cat?" Abbey stared at her sister, stunned. Where had her caring, do-good, carefree Cat gone?

"Look," Cat said evenly, "I'm just sick of going with the flow. I _want_ to do something _fun_. We're _always_ studying, or reading. The only time we socialize is during a bloody class _discussion_. I want to hang out with people who are more, outgoing."

"So basically," Abbey's voice was flat and harsh, "You're leaving Mimi and I for Firewhiskey, sex and the likes of Black's drooling fan girls."

"I," Cat answered icily, "do have brains, which is why I was placed in Ravenclaw –"

"–I'm sure the Sorting Hat regrets that decision sorely right about now," Abbey retorted.

"Whatever. You can hang out with Mina but I'm going to start enjoying my adolescence while I'm still young. See ya around." Disdain dripped from Cat's voice as she flounced out the Tower. Why couldn't her sister just freakin' accept that she wanted other company instead of being part of the permanently-attached-to-the-hips-Cat-and-Mina-and-Abbey-trio all the bloody time? It was tiresome. It was mundane. All they ever did was go to class, eat, study, do homework and occasionally, Hogsmeade to stock up on sugared quills. She just wanted a change of scenery. Was that so wrong?

Abbey sat in her chair, astounded. She'd never thought her sister could be that, well, _superficial_. Sure, Abbey looked great if she spent dozens of time practising charms to lengthen her eyelashes or sickles on instant pimple vanishers when she breaks out, but her sister had gone over to the _dark side_. Okay, maybe not dark side exactly, but they were only sixteen! Abbey imagined a pregnant Cat lolling around the Common Room and blanched. Staring at a blank piece of parchment for a good few minutes, Abbey sighed and doodled. She just couldn't concentrate…

"Need any help?" Abbey twirled around and found herself staring down at a cute sixth year boy Gryffindor. One that she had been trying to avoid for the past 12 hours or so.

'Stalker,' she thought sourly, 'Why can't he just take a bloody hint?'

Lately, Remus Lupin had been showing up everywhere she went. At first, she told herself the encounters were purely coincidental. About two months ago, she tried to reassure herself that she was simply being paranoid. No way did Remus Lupin have time to follow her around the Grounds and Castle like a lost puppy. Ignorance was bliss right? Wrong. Too smart for her own good, Abbey figured that Lupin had, unfortunately, developed somewhat of a crush on her.

Since the end of fifth year, James Potter and Sirius Black's manic, out-of-this-world egos have rubbed off on Remus Lupin, which was quite a shame, because prior to having his head inflated, he was a perfectly decent guy. It also appeared that James's stalkerish tendencies towards a muggle-born witch Lily Evans, had rubbed off on him too. Subsequently, he had transformed from the sane, rational one in The Marauders to being Just Another Haughty Jackass.

Abbey was not a rude person by nature. However, enough was enough. She did _not_ enjoy the attentions of a certain Remus Lupin and even she had a limit to her patience. Marching towards him, Abbey forced a polite smile on her face and snatched her homework out of the lanky boy's hands.

'Bitch,' He thought, wondering why he was so hung up on the residential ice princess of Hogwarts. Her sister would be easy to charm, and it wasn't her looks that drew him, well, mostly not… so why her? Why not Cat?

Remus felt slightly dazed.

Back in Gryffindor Tower, James grinned at Peter.

"I bet five knuts that he's coming back here with his tail between his legs?"

"I bet ten that he cries!" Peter chipped in eagerly.

James rolled his eyes. He knew Remus wasn't that pathetic. After all, Peter didn't hold the status as Crybaby in the group for nothing.

"Now, feel like taking a trip to the Slytherin dungeons?"

"I don't know Prongs, your plan sounds a little to extreme this time… We could get into a _lot_ of trouble!"

"Oh come on Wormtail, where's your Marauder spirit? Since when did the idea of detention daunted us?"

* * *

Ebublio_ (_derivative of the word 'bubble') - transfigures target creature into a pretty stream of coloured bubbles. (Source ref: hp-encyclopaedia, GoF spells).

Ante mortem (Latin) - 'ante' meaning before and 'mortem' meaning death.

Mina is my main protagonist but everything doesn't revolve around her, even if she _is_ the main character. In life, you get backstabbed no matter how nice you are or what you didn't do to deserve it. Sibling conflict is inevitable, even between twins. I just this story to have touches of realism and therefore credibility to it. Yes, Cat seems like the bitchy one in this chapter, but people like her do exist and sometimes, they're better than they appear, sometimes, worse. We'll see how Cat develops. Of course, Mina and Sirius's potential relationship wouldn't be the only one in this story, Remus provides a nice little distraction and his character's personality deviates from most of the other fanfiction I have read on this site. Yes, he is nice but come on, he's a teenage boy right now, hanging out with the self-proclaimed 'Gods' of Hogwarts… You seriously didn't expect him _not_ to be affected by popularity right? We all make mistakes when we're young, Remus is human, he's not an exception. My story isn't going to centre on Mina, narration will deviate.

Sorry, long ramble I know. I just wanted to give the heads up in case anyone was wondering why I wander so much during the narrations.


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks again **Liasid**, **iluvsnuffles** & **Arinus** for the reviews, you guys keep me going :)

Sorry for the belated update, I have mid-term exams.

I have the _What Is This Feeling? _song from _Wicked_ stuck in my head while writing this so it's short because I can't concentrate!

Copyright disclaimer: I don't make any money from writing this, sadly enough. So if you're gonna sue, go sue someone who isn't 40,600 bucks in debt for student loans so far.

* * *

Cat giggled as she finished another shot to an applause of cheers and whistles. Squirming slightly in the lap of a very attractive and muscular Slytherin's lap, a fleeting thought touched her mind for half a second – What would Abbey think? – before being distracted by someone nibbling on her ear.

"So Rosier," Her voice dipped seductively, "Do you like blondes or brunettes?"

Tingling shivers ran up her spine as Evan Rosier whispered hotly into her ear explicitly exactly what he liked to do with blondes, namely the one sitting on top of him.

One thing led to another and before she knew it, they were stumbling around making out like crazy. Sure Cat had previous boyfriends before but she'd never really let herself _go_. Her sister was always there, watching, disapproving, judging. How free she felt to be away from the constant scrutiny of her sister.

'I don't know why I didn't do this earlier! This is the most fun I've had in years!' She thought and then moaned as Evan's hand crept below her dress, tracing tantalizing circles up her inner thigh.

'You dirty whore,' She giggled at herself, proud of what she was doing – _experimenting _with the opposite sex.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the school, somewhere in the Ravenclaw Tower's sixth year girl's dormitory, acting purely on an irrational, overwhelming, inexplicable and sudden impulse, a highly amused and horny Sirius Black kissed a stuttering Mina Campbell.

'Finally!' He thought, as he nibbled on her bottom lip, 'She shuts up.'

'OH MY FREAKIN –' Mina started to think… then melted into the kiss.

It wasn't anything like she'd expected. She always thought it would be embarrassing being sixteen and never been kissed. She imagined that it would be awkward, the first time, and whoever the unlucky boy that was double-dared to kiss her would walk away laughing at how pathetic she was. But instead of self-conscious thoughts and lucidity, she simply closed her eyes and her hands automatically latched themselves onto his robes, clutching a fistful of black cotton tightly, like she never wanted to let –

"Holy crap!"

Mina's senses reignited. Reality crashed down _hard_. They both turned, simultaneously, to see a stunned Abbey standing at the doorway. Sirius and Mina stood, like deer caught in headlights, his arms around her possessively and her hands still clenching two handfuls of his robes. Sirius looked merely annoyed at her entrance but Mina looked mortified.

'Uh, make a snappy exit, you're intruding you loser!' Abbey berated herself.

"Um, I'll leave you guys to it then, spare condoms under Cat's pillow!" Abbey hightailed it out of there, leaving a shaky Mina trying to come to terms that Sirius Black just kissed her.

"You stole my first kiss, you… you jerk!" Mina finally found her voice. It started off hoarse and wavering but ended high with hurt and fury.

"How could you… You… It's not funny okay!" Humiliation started to clog her throat, "Just because you and your moronic friends have too much money and think it's funny to make stupid bets doesn't not make it okay to –"

'Girls,' Sirius thought, 'Deep down inside, they're all programmed the same. They talk too much. Oh well,' He smirked to himself, 'I know how to shut her up very nicely.

And he proceeded to do so, finding it oddly disconcerting how good the mousy little Ravenclaw tasted. He didn't experience the usual rush of hormones to tear off her clothes and touch her in all the inappropriate places. He didn't try to pry open her mouth with his tongue to eagerly explore the moist pockets of her mouth. Warmth washed over him, not lusty fire that usually overtook him whenever he kissed a girl. Or then again, Mina wasn't the sort of girl to incite lust.

"Fuck!" Sirius shouted, startling Mina badly. She tried to back away and curl into a ball but Sirius kept his arms around her, forcing her to tremble.

'Déjà vu,' Mina thought, 'Different guy, same old situation.'

Sirius was furious with himself and his own shallowness. Sure Mina may not be pretty and her body resembled a poorly cushioned skeleton but something about her, something about her _vulnerability_ attracted him, attracted his possessive and protective nature. His past girlfriends didn't really need his protection, sure, they liked having him act all macho and giggle when he played the role of the bodyguard 'don't touch my girl or you die' boyfriend, but the girls themselves, they were well taught in the art of combat and quite sneaky and cunning when plotting with their companions. Somehow, he just couldn't see Mina raise a wand and utter, "Expelliarmus!" or anything of that nature. Yes, she knew how to use the spell but should the occasion arise, he very much doubted that she could, and would, defend herself.

'You are one sadistic son of a bitch,' He thought ruefully to himself. How sick is it to be attracted to a girl simply because she was weak and powerless? It's like his bloody ego wanted to play cops and robbers or something.

Mina felt a flood of emotions wash through her, so fast and so potent, she could barely breathe.

Disbelief that Sirius had kissed her, anger and hurt that he probably did because of a bet or dare by his friends, shame and embarrassment that he probably knew that he was the only person to ever kiss her, in her entire life most likely, and pain. She didn't know why she felt pain. But it stabbed her heart steadily, with each pounding beat of her heart. Absent was the sheer terror and urge to run. That was new. Whenever a boy normally stood within half a feet of her, she would start panicking. Still thinking and feeling all too much in such a short space of time, eventually, she collapsed, exhausted, and stared up at a pair of hazy grey eyes.

"You know," He told her quietly, "I'm not stupid enough to play Truth or Dare with my friends."

Then Sirius did something he'd never done. He bent down, kissed her forehead softly and wished her goodnight. Strolling calmly out her door as if he did it _every _night, the entire occupants of the Ravenclaw Common Room watched a very jolly Sirius Black walk out of their Tower, then as if they were puppets all dancing to the same string, swivelled their heads towards the door that embossed a plaque reading Sixth Year Girls Dormitory. They'd all seen the Reynold twins leave. And it was a common fact that Jenny Lin almost never slept in their Tower. So that left…

-

Mina slumped on the floor, too confused and overwhelmed to feel.

He had been so… gentle. She'd never felt kindness at the hands of a boy. And he didn't… paw her. He just… held her. Was this a trick? How much was he being paid to do this? Pain crept back through the cracks of her heart as she sat on the floor for a very long time, just staring at her hands.

Outside Mina's room, someone finally voiced a question they were all wondering.

"Who on Earth brewed the Amortentia and why, in Merlin's name, did the person choose _Mina _to be the object of Sirius _Black's _affections.

Of course, everyone immediately dismissed the idea that Mina herself did it. Firstly, she wasn't that good at Potions. True, she was a Ravenclaw and naturally brilliant but Mina was so petrified by authority, she probably wouldn't even dare to think about pulling off something like this. Also, she _never_ walked by herself around the Castle or Grounds, unless when she had to, like during lessons. It was as if she was afraid of her own ghost, many concluded. Mina Campbell was strange, a little quiet but nothing that made her stand out as a Freak. Besides, she had the Reynold twins for friends and got on quite well with younger students, so she technically, wasn't a Loner.

As some very confused Ravenclaws whispered to each other that night, glancing often at the door of Mina's dormitory, Sirius Black walked towards Gryffindor Tower with a huge grin on his face.

Somewhere in his office, Albus Dumbledore chuckled to himself quietly, merry blue eyes twinkling in amusement.

"This," He said to a sleeping Fawkes, "Is going to be quite a year."

* * *

Amortentia - the most powerful love potion in the world, recognizable by its distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen and by the fact that its steam rises in characteristic spirals; this potion smells differently to different people according to what attracts them.

The narration jumps around a bit and doesn't carry on from the end of the last chapter, I don't exactly want to write down everything Mina and co gets up to, I'm not into stalking my characters, I don't need my sanity questioned just yet.

Short chapter, I know, sorry, I have exams on Mon and Tues.

I want reviews! Yes, I know -gasp- I stopped asking and that was a demand xD


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry for the lack of updating recently, I had some family problems and let's just say that it was ugly.

Thanks enternally **Liasid**, **Arinus**, **Rising Sunrise** and **Stonerlove** for reviewing the last chapter! I hope you guys like this one.

Copyright disclaimer: Everything belongs to me but J.K's character creations and the title of this fanfic.

* * *

Rumours had spread like wildfire throughout the school. Unfortunately for Mina, she discovered it the unpleasant way. Getting up early in the morning after waking up drenched in cold sweat of being strangled by Rabastan, she showered quickly, packed her bags and left a note for the twins, telling them she'd see them in Charms. She didn't notice the large shimmering letters Slut Of The Month someone had charmed onto the back of her robes as she wandered towards breakfast.

Cautiously making her way to the Great Hall, Mina expected everyone to ignore her as usual, something she was quite pleased with as she hated the spotlight and standing in the limelight in any way. However, no sooner had her foot stepped into the Hall, some girls glared at her while others looked at her with disbelief. Mina's anxiety upped a thousand notches in the space of a few nanoseconds.

Just what was going on? Sirius Black had been with many, _many_ more attractive girls for a very long time. Those girls never generated this much attention the morning after. For Merlin's sake, she didn't even sleep with him. It was _one_ kiss. Okay, two, technically and yes, they were very good ones but oh she couldn't stand this…

So Mina did what she always did when confronted. She turned her back and fled. Well, tried to.

After taking two hurried steps, she ran into a solid figure.

'Ow…' She thought, rubbing her head and pushing herself up off the ground.

A positively crowing Rabastan Lestrange smiled down at her like a fox would smile at a rabbit with a broken leg.

"H-hi…" She stammered.

He wouldn't do anything here, not in front of everyone! But then again, the teachers haven't arrived for breakfast yet and there weren't that many people around. Rabastan Lestrange was now known for his predictability or kindness.

"Hello sweetheart," He purred at her, "Need a hand?"

Mina's heart rate accelerated faster than James Potter's ascent at last year's Quiddich Cup Finals.

Rabastan Lestrange was most dangerous when he was being nice. It was like a coiled cobra, waiting to strike. Too many times, had she learned the hard way that whenever he was nice, she only suffered more at the end. Last time he called her Mimi, she had been on the receiving end of Adflictatio curse for _hours_.

"P-p-pl-plee-ease," She begged, not knowing what she was beseeching for. However, fate seemed to have finally taken a shine to her when a cold voice interrupted smoothly, "Move Lestrange, you're sickening my best friend's girl."

Immense relief flooded her, as well as indefinite gratitude, as she watched James Potter bump into Rabastan, rather hard by the looks of it. He knelt and extended a hand toward her, his bright hazel eyes somehow soothing her agitation and fear.

"Potter, Campbell is _my_ girl and this is _none _of your –" Rabastan started to snarl, hand reaching into his robes when fate struck again and Professor McGonagall walked up behind the trio and observed them with her beady eyes. Instantly, Rabastan took his hand out of his pocket and jerkily made his way towards the Slytherin Table.

"Are you okay Miss Campbell? As of late, you seem to be getting thinner and thinner. Please don't tell me you have anorexia," McGonagall addressed Mina after softening her gaze a little.

"I.. I'm f-fine," Mina tried to sound convincing. She really did. Unfortunately, she was as good at telling a fib as someone did under Veritaserum.

"Don't worry McG, I'll fatten her up!" James piped up, bringing a nervous smile to Mina's face.

"Potter…" McGonagall warned, but before she could lecture him about respect, or rather, his lack of it, James had seized Mina off the floor and picked her up onto his shoulder, dashing towards the Gryffindor Table. Sighing, McGonagall waved her wand at Mina and the letters on her back disappeared.

"OI. PADFOOT. You have a visitor!" James announced theatrically as a sleepy looking Sirius walked into the Great Hall. Mina's head spun as James Potter swung her upside down, _again_ and deposited her into the waiting arms of his best friend.

"Dude, I almost saved Lestrange from murdering her, where the hell were you? I thought protecting her would be _your_ job, seeing as, well you know, her being your girlfriend?" James Potter had clearly heard of the rumours circulating around Hogwarts and Mina blushed deeply at the word 'girlfriend', refusing to look at Sirius's face.

She wasn't his girlfriend… Right? He only kissed her because of some stupid dare, she would bet her entire stash of chocolate frogs on it.

"What?" Sirius's tone frightened Mina, and she was glad it wasn't directed at her.

He turned his piercing grey eyes to look at her, "What did the bastard do to you?"

"He didn't _do_ anything Padfoot, but she was ready to shit herself after I saw his mouth move." James supplied, and Mina watched a muscle tick in Sirius's jaw.

"I'm going to _kill_ –" Sirius started. Mina made a almost soundless squeak of protest and opened her mouth to protest. She didn't want anyone getting hurt over her!

"I think I'm hungry," She announced, abruptly shutting up Sirius's rant about the many ways he was going to dismember Lestrange.

"You _think_?" James Potter's voice was laden with sarcasm, which earned him a glare from his best friend.

'Shit, he's touchy about this one… why?' James thought to himself as he watched in amazement when Sirius went to sit down, one arm around Mina, almost swallowing her and watched her eat like an overbearing parent without touching anything himself.

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" An awestruck Wormtail asked Prongs, "Sirius is sacrificing _food_ for the sake of a _girl_. And not a very pretty one at that, OW!"

"Don't," James warned testily, "Insult Padfoot's girl."

Even though he would have to agree what Wormtail was saying, he was a loyal friend and stood up for his best friend, well, his best friend's girl in this case.

"POTTER! YOU TURN MY HAIR BACK TO IT'S ORIGINAL COLOUR RIGHT NOW OR I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL CASTRATE YOU WITH MY BARE HANDS!"

'Thank you Lily!' Mina thought, as all the student's attention diverted from staring holes into her back to an enraged girl with… a bright purple afro at least five feet tall.

Immediately, laughter exploded from all directions and James Potter smirked at the object of his affections.

"And what would I get for my services? I knew you wanted my balls," He waggled his eyes suggestively, only to be hit in the face with an Aguamenti charm.

In the middle of all the commotion, a blank faced Abbey strolled up to the Gryffindor Table and addressed Black frostily, "What are your intentions towards my friend?"

Sirius looked up surprised, but Abbey merely carried on her tirade, "She is _not_ some stupid little girl you get to charm just to have a laugh over with your friends. This is real life, not a freakin' book so excuse me if I don't buy your whole Popular-Playboy-Falls-For-Wallflower act. Mina is not going to be part of your publicity stunt! She is _not_ cheap trash like some of the girls you used to date and if I find so much as a bruise on her, like I did last time with that son of a bitch Lestrange, I swear I'll show you just how impressive my –"

"_Bruises_?" Sirius snarled, cutting off Abbey for the first time. Of course he _suspected_ but hearing confirmation...

'Shit, you said too much blabbermouth,' Abbey moaned to herself.

"Why the fuck didn't you report him? Better yet, why haven't you threatened _him_ with your impressive, what exactly?"

Abbey heaved, looking around quickly making sure no one was paying any attention to their conversation. So far, Lily Evan's afro was still the major source of conversation around the room.

"You don't think I've tried?" She growled, "Last time I confronted him, Mina spent _six_ days in Hospital Wing. _Six_. Every time I say a word, Mina comes back _worse_. And he has dirt on Mina. I'm not risking her happiness by going to a teacher."

"But Dumbledore," Sirius started only to be tsked at impatiently.

"Look, you may not understand this concept, but do you really think that if Lestrange didn't have something _awful_ on Mina, he would still be here, stuffing his fucking face over there," Mina pointed irritatedly, "With what I dearly wish, was poison."

Sirius glanced at a mute Mina, and stared at Abbey defiantly.

"I appreciate you looking out for her but she's got –"

"You?" Abbey laughed derisively, "Don't make me laugh Black. I know your reputation. And even if I looked beyond that, Mina doesn't need someone like you."

Sirius had never wanted to punch a girl more than he did now. Not even Bellatrix, which was saying something.

"Hey Mimi," Abbey's voice changed as she addressed her friend looking as if she was about to cry.

"You okay? Why don't we go back to the –"

"She stays here!" Sirius growled.

"Fine," Abbey shrugged, "Then I stay too."

Just then, a giggling Cat and a smug Evan Rosier walked hand in hand into the Great Hall and both Abbey and Mina choked.

"She left us for _that_?" Abbey stared at her sister, as Mina tried her best to swallow a mouthful of pancakes.

* * *

Adflictatio - a curse used for torture that can cause physical damage to the body; similar to the Cruciatus curse, but is not considered a curse if one is defending oneself from harm.

Veritaserum - 'veritas' means 'truth' (Latin) - the most powerful truth serum available; this colourless, odourless potion (which looks like plain water) forces the drinker to tell the truth. it is so powerful that three drops would have the drinker spilling his or her innermost secrets.

Aguamenti ('agua' in Portuguese meaning 'aqua'; 'agua' in Spanish meaning 'water' and 'menti' from Latin meaning 'mind') - a charm that conjures a fountain or jet of clear water from the caster's wand. Fiendfyre cannot be put out by this charm.

Any thoughts (apart from Cat being a bitch)?


	6. Chapter 6

Thank you my darling **Rising Sunrise** (no pun intended! lol) for reviewing and **Arinus **as always. You guys make my world go round :)

If this chapter seems a bit... _disjointed_, it's because my brother is playing Half-Life down the hall and I have sensitive hearing. In other words, he's distracting me! I have to go for a piano lesson in 20 minutes and then my schedule is completely booked til next weekend so I thought I'd update now instead of later.

Copyright Disclaimer: If you don't know what's mine and what's not by now... I seriously question your intelligence.

* * *

"What do you mean she left us?" Mina asked Abbey, confused.

Sirius stared at Mina in shock. It was the first time he heard her say anything without a truckload of fear attached to her words.

"Um, I'll tell you about it later," Abbey glanced at Sirius, then started reaching for the buttered pieces of toasts stacked towards her left.

Mina chewed on her next mouthful of pancakes Sirius fed her obediently. Sneaking glances over to the Slytherin table every so often, Mina tried to figure out just how on Earth Cat ended up accompanying Evan Rosier to breakfast. As she watched them flirt, she caught the eyes of Rabastan and pressed herself to Sirius, tensing up and shaking.

"What is it?" Two concerned pairs of eyes watched her as Sirius slowly drew Mina into a comforting hug. Over the top of her head, he gazed challengingly at Abbey, who only shook her head and mouthed, 'I want to talk to you, later.'

"She only gets like that when Lestrange or one of his cronies looks at her," Abbey informed him bitterly.

Sirius tensed at hearing that.

"Abbey!" A grinning Remus Lupin entered the Great Hall, striding quickly to seat himself beside the now also tensed girl in question.

'Why me? Seriously, _why?_' Abbey suppressed a silent groan and proceeded to ignore the boy next to her right.

"What brings you over to our humble corner?" Remus asked, trying to start a conversation for the sixteenth time.

"If I hear another word out of your mouth, I'm going to do something that you won't like,' Abbey warned. Okay, so she wasn't that good at threats. But her tone should alert him how close he was to getting punched in the face by the girl voted Least Likely To Start A Brawl.

"Hey," Mina heard Sirius's breath tickle the back of her neck, "What is Lestrange blackmailing you with that's making you endure this kind of _abuse_ from him?"

Mina stayed silent, closed her eyes and trying to block out the sound of Sirius's voice. It sounded almost genuine, like her really cared. Hah. As if.

"Look, it's really none of your business," She mumbled. Why is it that every time she _tries_ to stand her own ground, she could hardly hear herself? What was the point?

"Sirius!" Both the marauder and the Ravenclaw looked up to see a curvy redhead walk over towards them, she had a beautiful smile on her face, and her dimples made her look positively angelic.

"Hi baby, listen, I heard the ridiculous rumours floating around and I just want to say I'm so proud of you that you stood up for a girl like Mina. I know you're not cheating on me or doing anything that would hurt me, so I'm just here to tell you I'm not one of those insecure, bitchy, over-possessive, clingy girlfriends, I trust you and you can come over to my dorm tonight. Hey Mina, James, Remus, nice earrings Abbey. Toodles."

With that said the redhead turned gracefully and walked back towards the Hufflepuff table, drawing many lusty stares from most of the male population leaving Sirius in a very awkward position indeed.

"You said," Abbey started, sounding like she was speaking through a mouthful of pins, when Mina ducked under the table and crawled out the other side, getting up shakily and running out of the Great Hall. It seemed like she did that a lot lately.

"I'll hunt you down later," Abbey promised, granite brown eyes boring holes into Sirius's stunned ones. With that said she crammed a last mouthful of toast into her mouth and took off in the direction her friend went.

Over at the Slytherin table, Cat shook her head sadly. She wasn't a total cow and she _did _consider Mina a friend. She cared, although not as much as most people thought she would.

Around the room, everyone started laughing, trying to save their pride by attempting to convince each other that they _knew_ that Sirius wouldn't go for someone like Mina Campbell, that they knew all along, it was a hoax. Through the excitement of events that morning, almost everyone missed the bell signalling them to go to class.

"Hilarious shit, man!" Someone clapped Sirius on the back as he walked past, "Funny and ingenious, messing with her mind like that. I bet she's going to turn emo and go cut herself now."

"Nice one Black," Someone else called from across the room, giving Sirius two thumbs up.

"All right, everyone, move along! Classes start soon!" A teacher started herding students out of the Hall with great, sweeping hand gestures.

Needless to say, Abbey and Mina missed their morning classes, as Abbey tried to console a broken Mina.

Yes, she'd seen her friend scared and down before, yes, she'd seen Mina at her worst but _nothing_ came close to seeing Mina stare dejectedly at nothing, eyes blank and posture limp.

"I… I thought… I wanted to think that… It's so pathetic," Mina laughed brokenly. Indeed, deep down inside, she _wanted_ the clichéd, fairytale. She _wanted_ a handsome prince to sweep her off her feet. She wanted to have a dashing saviour rescue her from her nightmare. But reality and fiction never collided.

"It doesn't hurt to dream, it only hurts to wake up," Mina whispered. Abbey sat nothing, as she pressed her plump lips into a thin line.

"Let's head towards the Kitchens," Abbey announced suddenly.

"Why?" Mina looked out of it, like she couldn't care less but wanted to maintain a façade of normalcy.

"Because," Abbey muttered darkly, "I want to see just how hot Sirius Black likes his soup for lunch…"

Mina gasped and stared at Abbey with wide eyes.

"But…"

"He deserves it!" Abbey cut off Mina's protests.

"Besides, I had half a measly toast for breakfast and I only saw you eat two bites of pancakes."

"Do you even know where the Kitchens _are_?"

The girls had never snuck out after dark. Like good little Ravenclaws, they had always followed rules and regulation.

"Well, think about it. It's gotta be _somewhere_ near the first floor…"

They set off, not bothered about missing Muggle Studies as Mina Abbey was a muggle-born and Mina had a Squib for a mother.

In another part of the Castle, Sirius Black drowned out a monotonic Professor Binns, and tried to come up with a way to remedy the situation with Mina. Not that he'd done anything wrong. Well. Okay, so he wasn't too clear when he broke up with Nikita, the redhead from that morning, he _may_ have succumbed to his desire last time he tried to call it quits, ending up with her in her bed, the floor and the showers in just one hour. Still, he tried to calm his thoughts, all girls liked chocolate and flowers and Mina should be no different? If only Abbey could hear his thoughts, the first homicide at Hogwarts would have featured the front page of The Daily Prophet the following morning.

* * *

It would be highly unlikely if Sirius was parading around as a single bachelor. Looks, popularity, brains all in one package are never single. Sirius taking an interest and notice in Mina has already played a big part on suspension of disbelief, I don't want to push my luck with this story. It all comes down to probability, credibility and possibility. I weigh up the odds and spend hours agonizing. I don't like writing that seems too far-fetched or almost impossible/never gonna happen in a million years but surprise, surprise, someone wrote it. I like to pretend that I'm a reader and critique my own writing like the next person would.

I think many girls can associate with Mina's secret longing for a Prince Charming figure, even if they're not the type to have their heads up in the clouds. So I think that makes things more realistic.

I have absolutely _no _idea where the Hogwarts kitchens are, I know that you have to tickle a pear for a door handle to appear but as to which floor it is on, I am lost! And I don't have time to scan through all seven books so can someone please put me out of my misery and tell me?

If you need to know anything about me, it's that I'm a perfectionist/control freak. So I'll spend all my spare time scanning through the books if I don't find out which floor the kitchens are on. I want my narrative to be as accurate as possible to the actual series.


	7. Chapter 7

Thank you **Liasid **and **Rising Sunrise **for reviewing the previous chapter. This one's for you two :)

My grandfather passed away (on Monday 23rd at 5.02 am) so I'm sorry that I didn't update like I promised.

Copyright Disclaimer: The plot, dialogue is _fully mine_. Now, as for the rest, this site is FanFiction. You are browsing under the category of Books - Harry Potter. You should know whom belongs to whom.

* * *

Mina sat glumly, spacing out as House-elves bustled and hustled around them. Sitting adjacent to her right, Abbey munched heartily on some waffles soaked in maple syrup. The girls had finally located the Kitchens, after accidentally bumping into Peeves who sent them on a goose chase around the castle, until Abbey, with stomach rumbling and perspiration sticking her robes to her uncomfortably, threatened to charm him into sing the bloody baron was gay if he didn't show them the kitchens.

"Would Miss Campbell and Miss Reynold care for some butterscotch pancakes as well?" A squeaky voice asked.

Abbey spoke through a full mouth, nodding enthusiastically, cheeks bulging, as Mina wrinkled her nose and told Abbey off for bad table manners. Abbey chewed frantically then swallowed, taking a huge swig of water from a goblet before turning to Mina.

"Come on, _eat_ or I'll tell Madame Pomfrey you're bulimic!"

Mina stared at her friend as if she had grown two heads.

"Since when did you threaten people… with threats that sound reasonably threatening?"

Abbey giggled then choked. Mina hastily whacked her on the back and chaos erupted as a House-elf tripped over Abbey's outstretched legs and went flying across the room with a huge pot of something unidentifiable splashing in all directions.

"Ew, you look like a Hippogriff took a dump on you!" Mina gasped out, as Abbey broke into laughter and House-elves ran to check if the fallen elf was okay.

"Scourgify!" Mina pointed her wand and after a few minutes, everything was spic and span. Then turning the wand onto her robes, Mina repeated the scouring charm and threw Abbey a reproachful look.

"Oh come on, lighten up, no one was hurt!" Abbey insisted, as Mina sighed and shook her head.

"Now," Abbey continued with a bit of sadistic glee to her usually mellow and husky voice. She turned to address the cluster of House-elves, "Can someone show me where paprika is?"

"This way Miss." An elf approached her wearily, "But Miss, it's _our_ job to cook for students of Hogwarts!"

"Oh, I just want to help, I've always wanted to learn how to cook," Abbey said innocently, blinking baby blues at the elf.

"Whatever Miss wishes," the elf bowed, before hobbling along, leading Abbey behind a row of benches twisting and turning behind a row of cabinets.

Mina followed Abbey, compelled as she watched in horrific fascination as Mina heartily replaced tomato sauce with jalapeno puree and instructed some elves that this plate was specifically to go to Sirius Black when lunch was served.

"When he turns up and sits down, send this meal onto his plate," Abbey told the elves sternly, as they nodded with uneasy looks on their faces.

"Miss, we shall get into trouble," one tried to assert herself (or was it a male?)

Abbey waved her hand dismissively, "Just tell them I ordered you to and you are bound by my wishes."

The terrified elves casted doubtful glances and scattered, as Abbey clapped her hands together and did a little jig.

"You look ridiculous," Mina finally spoke up and Abbey mock-glared,

"You're just jealous!"

"Of what?"

"Of my sexiness!"

"A few minutes ago, you were covered in what looked to be poo!"

Both girls cracked up and fell to the floor, then sat up after a while, gasping for oxygen.

"This is fun," Mina said.

"You haven't eaten anything!" Abbey protested, but agreed with her friend.

Mina marched over to a counter where bagels were piled and started buttering cream cheese thickly.

"That's my girl," Abbey smiled, "Oh, pass me that muffin will you?"

"How can you eat all the time and not get fat?" Mina demanded, as Abbey gave her an incredulous stare.

"You're the one skinnier than… than… I don't even know what to call you, you're literally skin and bones!"

"But I'm a _sexy_ one," Mina stuck out her tongue.

Abbey smiled at her friend fondly. Why couldn't Mina open up and just be like herself, like _this_ around other people? Others were missing out.

"Mimi," Abbey started, as Mina stiffened at the saccharine tone of her friend's voice. Last time Abbey used that tone, she'd ended up skinny dipping in the Lake and the Giant Octopus had lifted her fifteen million miles in the air with its slimy tentacles…

"What?" Mina finally said.

"Well, I was thinking –"

"No!" Mina blurted, "Don't think! Your brain will hurt!"

"Haha," This time Abbey was the one with the tongue sticking out, "I'll have you know I can beat you hands down at WizTrivia any day anytime!"

Mina smiled at Abbey's familiar over-competitiveness.

"Bring it on."

And with a startled shriek, Mina found herself on the floor.

"Did you just _pounce_ on me?" She asked and Abbey started tickling.

"Stop! Get off! I can't breathe!" Mina squirmed and writhed as Abbey mercilessly dug her dingers into Abbey's stomach.

"Holy shit, yo, guys, come check this out! Girl on girl action!" A loud, masculine voice suddenly spoke with admiration and lust.

"Sicko." Abbey shook her head, getting off Mina.

Mina picked herself up and dusted herself shakily, too angry to blush.

"Come on, let's go," Abbey grabbed Mina's hand as a bunch of Hufflepuff boys burst through the door and tumbled into an untidy heap.

"Ew, look, a boy orgy!" Abbey said to Mina, getting out the tiny camera she always carried around and took a few shots.

The boys coloured furiously and before they could say a word, Abbey and Mina hightailed it out of the Kitchens, spastic with mirth.

"Oh my," Mina wiped tears from her eyes, "I'm so glad you're paranoid that there is an axe murder waiting to kidnap you so you carry around that thing now."

Abbey tried to glare, but the grin on her face was too big and she had never the time to practice grinning and glaring at the same time.

The bell rang loudly, and a few seconds later, dozens of doors slammed open and thunderous footsteps stampeded in toward their direction from all sides.

"Come on!" Abbey grabbed Mina's hand, "I can't afford to miss Potions!"

-

As Mina and Abbey entered the class, Professor Slughorn waved them to sit around a bubbling cauldron steaming in the middle of the room. Shoot each other a confused look, they edged nearer and took a sat, as more and more students filed in, ushered by Slughorn to take a seat.

When everyone arrived, Slughorn clapped his hands together and boomed loudly, "Today, we are making a Draught of Insanity. Because of the dangerous nature and complexity of this potion, we are going to have a class effort with me supervising so absolutely nothing goes wrong, for I cannot take that risk or the Ministry would be swarming in here, I wouldn't be prosecuted as I have friends in high places, not that I condone bribery and such…"

As Slughorn rambled on, Mina and Abbey shot each other an excited look. The Draught of Insanity was a very recent invention and only perfected a few months ago. Test subjects were innocent muggles, poor them, who had been given solutions and all of them ended up in a loony bin somewhere. The potion was irreversible and Abbey's dark side twittered at the thought of slipping a few drops into Rabastan Lestrange's dinner. Unfortunately though, since Slughorn was supervising and nothing was written on the board, they had no idea what sort of ingredients and what quantity were already in the cauldron.

" – so now if you all pinch your nose and take a brief look at the froth, you'll notice that –"

" – they're hexagonal!" Someone gasped, amazed.

"Idiot, they have seven sides, it's heptagonal!" Abbey corrected.

"Nerd!" As Abbey shot a nasty glare at the Hufflepuff who'd spoken, Mina stared fascinated as cyan and magenta mass of lather slip and slide.

"All right, sit back!" Slughorn boomed.

Whisking out a vial of blue sludge and throwing in some bright green eggs that stank up the room, the cauldron hissed and started swirling anti-clockwise as if an invisible hand was stirring it relentlessly. Everyone watched fascinated, as Slughorn's explanation of what was happening were drowned out.

Suddenly, the entire contents to the cauldron simply froze and shrank into a sparkling blue, glittery cube.

"Now," Slughorn's voice penetrated befuddled minds, "You simply levitate this over here," everyone's eyes were glued to the cube, "And voila!"

BANG.

A few people toppled out of their seats backwards in alarm.

Confusion descended as a smiling Slughorn asked the stunned students, "Where is it now?"

Silence fluttered before someone's hand poked tentatively through the air.

"Sir, I thought this was a _Draught_ of Insanity… Why was it a solid blue cube?"

Other voices started chiming in, bewilderment in their tones, before Slughorn slapped a hearty hand onto the shoulder of a thickset boy sitting to his right.

"Homework, write an essay on the Draught of Insanity and explain in detail, the steps to complete it so it _does _end up as a potent, coffee brown liquid some unsuspecting victim might ingest one day.'

The entire class stared at Professor Slughorn, and the bell rang, as furious whispers and disbelieving remarks broke out among the students, some sprawled on the ground painfully, others in their chairs still in a circle, hands gripped to their seats.

"He's never this crazy before!"

"Do you think he was the test subject of the Psychotic Curse?"

"What on Earth?"

"Did you just see what I saw?"

"He needs to get laid!"

Mina and Abbey slipped into the corridor, mind reeling as they joined the hustle of other students coming from their classes.

"Devin's right, Slughorn _does_ need to get laid," Mina muttered, before Abbey dragged her off towards the Great Hall.

* * *

Scourgify - scouring charm, used to clean something.

Draught of Insanity - a coffee brown coloured liquid that smells and tastes like bitter coffee beans, used to permanently reduce a fully functioning person into a severely delusional, rambling person with exaggerated symptoms of scizhoprehnia. _I came up with this so I apologize if it sounds completely far-fetched and stupid_.

Psychotic Curse - curse that renders an individual psychotic. _I also made this up, you can tell can't you, it sounds crap._

Mina is surprisingly normal, when relaxed and feeling secure. She's just handicapped by her insecurities and socially anxious to the extreme. I hope you can relate more to her now that you've seen her behaving like a 'normal' teen girl :)


	8. Chapter 8

Thank you to my regulars **Liasid**, **Arinus**, **Rising Sunrise **for reviews, you guys are plain awesome! :)

Copyright Disclaimer: Mine. Except the characters, spells, potions and various that J.K Rowling copyrighted.

* * *

While Mina had completely forgotten the events of that morning, Abbey was anticipating the moment Sirius Black entered the Great Hall.

Trembling with barely suppressed delight, she plopped herself down onto a seat where she got a phenomenal view of the Gryffindor Table. Mina collapsed to her left, looking trouble. Perhaps it was the assignment Slughorn issued. Mina wasn't so good with Potion essays…

Every so often, Abbey conspicuously glanced up at the Gryffindor Table, while Mina pushed around her steak pie with her fork.

"Look, there's Potter!" Abbey squealed excitedly, as Mina looked into the direction Abbey's finger was jabbing at.

"Um… Since when did you celebrate when Potter eats?" Mina asked confused.

Abbey shot her a look, then leaned in and whispered, "Because Potter is like Black's Siamese twin and I can't wait to see how much fries he wolfs down in a few seconds."

Realization dawned on Mina and a tiny amount of fear curled around her stomach. She pushed away her steak pie all together and reached for a custard tart, nibbling and staring fixated at the Gryffindor Seeker.

Moments trickled by and the girls watched as Peter and other Gryffindors of all years arrive at the table.

"Where's Black?" Abbey hissed, impatient and puzzled.

A part of Mina was relieved Sirius wasn't there to eat his sabotaged meal. She felt too mean and would have drowned in guilt had the prank taken place.

'Not prank,' Mina thought to herself sternly, 'Revenge.'

But her appetite, whatever was left of it, vanished all together.

Mina chewed on her bottom lip unconsciously, Sirius Black always had a flavour of the week hanging off his arms, sometimes three, or four even. She shouldn't have been naïve enough to think he had an interest in her. Even if some part of her pathetically wanted him to chase her like Romeo did Juliet. Didn't she already figure out that he was only being nice to her because of an inevitable bet or dare gone wrong? Why was she so hurt when the full picture was revealed? She could never compete with that Ravenclaw, no amount of Beautification Potions she'd take can get her anywhere near Sabrina Catwood's pedigree.

'Damn you, foolish heart,' She thought, 'And you, Fate, have a very sick sense of humour I hope you realize.'

"Where is Black?" Abbey spoke, teeth grinding and fist clenching, 'Lupin is simply obtuse! He thinks I'm looking at _him_ and bloody dared to _wink_ at me. I'll show him winking… I'll stick a white hot needle through his –"

"Don't say it!" Mina gasped. She was extremely squeamish and blood made her faint, or worse, throw up _then_ faint.

"Chicken," Abbey muttered. Mina thrust a chicken leg into Abbey's face, causing the girl in question to jump back and look at her with wild eyes.

"What the hell?"

"You said chicken!"

"I mean… You know what I meant! You loser!"

Both girls started laughing again.

A handsome tawny owl soared towards the giggling pair.

"What's this?"

"It's addressed to _you_, you open it!"

"Fine!"

Hastily tearing the envelope, Mina stared as untidy, big black writing,

_**I'm watching you.**_

"That son of a –" Abbey started, looking over to the Slytherin Table.

Mina continued to stare at the handwriting. Her gut told her this wasn't from Lestrange. It didn't look like Rabastan's writing. The words were scrawled by a hand that was as if injured… Alarm crept up her spine. Was Sirius okay?

'Look at you,' Mina scolded herself, as Abbey continued to rant about various methods to castrate a certain Slytherin, 'He humiliated you in front of the whole school and some anonymous parchment with what is probably a threat makes you all worried about his physical being? You _moron_.'

Lunch trickled by, as Mina continued to stare at the piece of parchment and Abbey stared determinedly at the Gryffindor Table, as if will alone could make Sirius appear.

"Come on Abbey, let's just go," Mina tugged Abbey's arm, after the bell went.

Abbey sat, stiff and angry, before finally sighing and getting up.

"We have Charms with the Gryffindors." As new revenge plans formed in Abbey's mind, Mina's gut tightened. Could she face him? Was she ready?

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Mina muttered as she entered the Charms classroom.

"Well you should've eaten something!" Abbey told her in an unforgiving tone, before sitting down at the back of the class.

"Why are you sitting here? We never –" Mina began.

"So I can transfigure Black's hair without anyone noticing."

"Flitwick –"

"Is too short, won't be able to see a thing. Don't worry about it. If I get into trouble, it won't be you scrubbing bedpans in Hospital Wing. Shh. Here he comes. Where the hell did he manage to get that many bruises and scratches over one night? What the hell? And Lupin looks…"

It was common knowledge Abbey Reynold did _not_ like Remus Lupin and the later adored the former. She would demean him and ignore him whenever possible and he would either try to hit on her, ask her out of compliment her outrageously, making a classic fool out of himself around her. Even when he appeared ashen faced and under the weather (probably after a night of wild animal sex, Abbey usually concluded), he'd still take time to lavish her with unwanted praise. Today, as Remus entered the classroom, he didn't even glance around for Abbey, just took a nearby seat to the door and caved heavily onto it.

"What's wrong with him?" Abbey frowned, as Mina studied the Remus critically. He looked absolutely awful and that was the understatement of the century.

"Do you think they had a fist fight? Or did they have a really rough night of –"

"Don't finish that sentence please," Mina shuddered. She did _not_ need an image of a naked Sirius on top of an equally nude Remus… Stop, stop, ew!

"I think you should talk to him," Mina said quietly, as Abbey stared in disbelief.

"I don't think –" She started, but Mina's heart tugged a little.

"He really likes you," She told Abbey firmly, "And seeing you will cheer him up, I guarantee it."

"Are you trying to matchmaker?" Abbey spluttered.

"I think he needs someone right now."

"He has _friends_."

"None of which he is head over heels in love with."

"How'd you know. He could secretly be harbouring homosexual –"

"_Abbey_."

"Oh fine!" Throwing Mina a nasty look, Abbey got up and gathered her books.

"OI, BLACK. KEEP MIMI COMPANY WHILE I FINISH OFF LUPIN ALRIGHT?"

Mina blushed, dismayed, as Black (and the entire classroom!) turned their heads towards Abbey.

A slow smile crept up on Sirius's face.

"Sure thing," He told Abbey calmly, as he walked towards an aghast Mina turning redder and redder and redder.

"Have fun with the enemy," Abbey told Mina huffily, then looked apologetic at the sight of fright in her friend's face.

"I'm sorry –" She started, knowing she had gone too far.

"Look, Black, I was joking, just go back –"

"Move Reynold," He told her mildly, brushing past her.

"Hi," He said casually to Mina, whose heart was thumping like an earthquake.

"Oh Merlin," She whispered. Sirius cracked a smile.

"Close sweetheart, but my name is Sirius."

"Oh God!" Mina started panicking, knowing she made a complete fool out of herself.

"Calm down, I won't bite, unless you want me to."

"Mr Black and Miss Campbell," A high-pitched voice cut across, "Please cease your conversation and carry it in your own time, for I have a class to teach and there are twenty seven other students in this class who want to learn! Miss Reynold, take a seat please, you are also disrupting my lesson."

Charms progressed, as Flitwick made them practice a spell to warm food with extremely fancy wand work.

'Flick, flick, jab, swish, swish,' Mina thought, 'No, flick, flick, jab, swish… Ugh!!'

Around the room, various students were muttering to themselves furiously, not a dish in the class rise in temperature until…

"Why can't wizards adapt the muggle microwave into everyday use?"

Then questions of what a microwave was, what it looked like, how big it was, what colour it was and other questions erupted.

Mina and Abbey just giggled, thinking that the boy had a point, but tried to master the spell before time ran out.

"This spell will be in your N.E.W.T's next year so practice, practice, practice everyone!"

"Practice makes perfect, too much makes a whore," Sirius muttered.

Mina giggled.

He looked up, amazed.

"Did you just…"

Mina blushed.

"You did!" He pointed smugly, then –

BOOM.

Mina was blasted off her feet and landed devastatingly seven feet away. The smell of sizzling flesh filled the air…

"You killed her!" Abbey screamed, running towards Mina's floppy body.

"What has happened here?" Flitwick toddled forwards and then, "Oh dear, Mr Black, explain why you tried to heat up Miss Campbell."

"You _cooked_ her? Rennervate! You sick, _sick _bastard," Abbey ranted,

"Miss Reynold, language!"

"He killed my best friend! Rennervate! Fuck, burn marks! Aguamenti! Rennervate! _ Rennervate_! Come on RENNERVATE!"

"Miss Reynold, if you please, help me escort Miss Campbell to Hospital Wing, and Mr Black, you shall report to two week's detention –"

" – he deserves expulsion –"

" – nine o'clock sharp."

Students ran from the class in panic, initial shock wearing off, holding their noses, gagging.

"It was an accident," Sirius started shakily, but Mina, Flitwick and Abbey were already gone.

"Murderer!" He heard Abbey screech, an echo reaching his ears.

"What have I done?" He sank onto the floor, staring at his wand, ill.

"She'll be fine Padfoot," He heard his best friend try to reassure him, but he just crumpled, rooted to the spot.

* * *

Rennervate - spell used to revive/awaken someone.

Aguamenti - a charm that conjures a fountain or jet of clear water from the caster's wand.

I'm having relationship problems at the moment. So if the story gets a little emo, I'm venting.


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